1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a vehicle-purpose lighting tool. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an improvement of such vehicle-purpose lighting tools as rear combination lamps.
2. Description of the Related Art
In vehicle-purpose lighting tools such as rear combination lamps and high-mounted stop lamps, light of light sources is radiated outside the light sources via outer lenses (designed covers) so as to obtain desirable light emissions. For instance, as indicated in FIG. 8, in a rear combination lamp where LED lamps 102 are employed as light sources, the LED lamps 102 are installed inside an outer lens 101, and reflectors 103 are provided at peripheral portions of the LED lamps 102 (refer to, for instance, patent publication 1). In the above-described structure, light of the LED lamps 102 is directly traveled to the forward direction, or is traveled via the reflectors 103, and then, is radiated through the outer lens 101 to an external space.
Patent Publication 1. JP-A-2005-123092
Among the above-described combination lamps and the like, in which LED lamps are employed as light sources, it is not desirable that the LED lamps are visually recognizable outside the rear combination lamps, except for such a case: That is, it is desirable in view of design aspects that these LED lamps are actively disclosed. To this end, optical diffusion processing operations (for example, very fine grooves are formed) are carried out with respect to front surfaces of outer lenses, and shapes of reflectors are re-arranged, so that fluctuations in luminance may be reduced in order that the LED lamps may not be conspicuous. However, as long as the LED lamps have been arranged inside the outer lenses, there is such a fact that the LED lamps are positioned on lines of sight of viewers. Accordingly, even when the above-explained measures have been taken, it is practically difficult that the presence of these LED lamps is completely concealed. On the other hand, improvements in designs as to rear combination lamps are expected.